Penelope Fights For Our Rights

Penelope was on hand last night at the ACLU Bill of Rights Awards in Beverly Hills to honor those that take risks to defend our liberty. There she accepted an award on behalf of director Paul Haggis who got us thinking in his movie, Crash. Jewel performed for the guests. Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks and Bill Maher also took home awards, no doubt for their very outspoken political views. The annual event marks the anniversary of the signing of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, which includes our rights to free speech.

For more pics including Penelope, Bill Maher, Natalie Maines and Jewel just read more

I was a hardcore DC fan even though I completely disagree with their politics and am, in fact, ashamed that *they* are from my home state. I even defended their right to free speech to my conservative, (still) Bush-loving family and friends after all of the hoopla over Natalie's GW comment.
But then they said in their recent Time cover story that they'd rather have a small group of fans who "get it" than a large group of fans who also have Toby Keith and Reba McEntire in their cd players, and (since I also happen to love both Toby and Reba) that's when I joined the FUDC crowd. I mentioned in another post how much I hate people who are all preachy and never bother to think about how intolerant they themselves actually are, and if Rosie is the queen of that kind of behavior, the Chicks are the princesses. I disagree with practically everything they stand for (politically speaking, anyway), but I was big enough to defend them and their rights and continue to appreciate their music and talent even though they offended me. And those women have the nerve to suggest that people like me don't "get it" just because they don't like the politics of the other artists I happen to like? I don't think I'm the one who doesn't get it.

Natalie Maines just said what the rest of the world was thinking. Unfortunately the US media is controlled by a handful of men who dictate what you are told. That is why September 11 was such a shock to Americans but not to the rest of the world, it was only a matter of time before the population discovered what was really going on. It's wonderful that the American public are now speaking out against this administration and voting accordingly. Well done.

Well, that's right, not everyone is ashamed of dub-ya, just like all but 21% of the nation. Wow, that's right, his approval rating is 21%!! Oh-yea, she didn't say she was ashamed to be from Texas, she said she was ashamed bush was from Texas. And, people calling them traitors and launching death threats just shows the type of people that support him. We are no longer the freeest country in the world, that title belongs to te Netherlands. And, the way he's demolishing the middle class, I'm not even gonna ponder...

So Poohbare, you are the one who gets to decide what is 'right' and 'wrong' to say? That's not what free speech is. . .and by that same token, I don't have a problem with the people who disagreed with what they said, and neither do the Dixie Chicks. What they had a problem with was the consolidated media, death threats, and the incitation of violence against them by certain DJs. Also, they only happened to say it in London because that's where they were when the war was about to begin, and so that's when they commented on it. And she says she doesn't regret a thing, because she feels that it showed the true colors of some of her fans, and she doesn't relate to them as a result.
PS
Um, Kerry could not do worse if he tried. We have the worst deficit in history after the biggest surplus, thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians, and young Americans being killed every month, and more each month, a totally polarized American population, aggressive pseudo-patriotism, and an unwinnable war. But now about 70% of the US is finally waking up.

The ACLU is a joke as they only protect the rights of the left as shown by their celebrities list.
I would have been fine with them saying they disagreed with GW or the war but for them to say they are ashamed to be from Texas pissed me off. They could have said they were ashamed for him to be from Texas but she didn't because she didn't think it through and that came back to haunt her. She got what she deserved by Texas stations not playing their music. I used to be a fan but I used my free will to decide not support them any longer.
Sorry BrandyNicole everyone is not ashamed of "Dubya". I don't agree with everything he has done but when I think about what would have happened with Mr. Heinz (aka Kerry)...

Yay for Natalie Maines and the Dixie Chicks! They belong at a celebration for our Constitutional Rights. And, booooo to the DFW radio stations that refuse to play their music! She was just ahead of her time. Everyone is ashamed of dub-ya now!

Purple, yes, that is crystal clear. I was going to say the same thing myself. The reason these awards are going to "anti" speech spewers is because it was hosted by the ACLU - one of the biggest threats to truly free speech.